


Metaphysical Love

by cowboycruncher



Series: Valdonia: Realm of Mages [3]
Category: Valdonia: Realm of Mages
Genre: Cohald Era, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboycruncher/pseuds/cowboycruncher
Summary: Praxitus is hiding from the Blood Brotherhood, but Nelles always knows where to find him.
Relationships: Praxitus Calciphorum/Nelles Penet
Series: Valdonia: Realm of Mages [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1934920
Kudos: 1





	Metaphysical Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Noah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noah/gifts).



Metaphysical. What was metaphysicality to study the very foundation and understanding of the rational and irrational human mind in the scope of cognitive thought? Philosophy was fascinating, it had no parameters, a science truly free of the constraints of the mortal realm, expressed through literature and sculpted by the endless canvas of emotion or lack thereof. Praxitus tapped at the word, staring at him challengingly, printed on the tome that was seated comfortably in his lap. The library was empty - always was when he made an appearance - the window not far from the desk he resided at cracked open enough to allow the spring breeze to sidle into the room like a refreshing embrace.

A lot had happened in the last year, he felt different as a person despite being - metaphysically - the same man he had been when he had stepped foot onto the castle’s entrance hall floor just akin to how he had done for the last half of a decade. A single throb from his cerebrum reminded him that thoughts were, at times, dangerous and that he had been indulging in the meaning of life a bit too intensely for a single evening. Yet he lay still, his legs propped atop the sturdy counter of the desk, hoping for some kind of distraction before he accidentally awakened his third eye. That was more responsibility than he wanted to have.

A creaking door, the library had another occupant. Distraction. Looking up from his studies, he waited for the telltale footsteps of Nelles to find him - his tendency to recluse in the farthest corner of the building he could possibly manage made him a hard cockroach to flush out at times. Purposefully so. It took Nelles less than a minute to use his powers of intuition to discover his location, and Praxitus could not help the smile that appeared when the tall air mage’s head popped out from around a bookshelf nearby him. “Hello.” 

“Figured I’d find you here.” Nelles greeted back, coming around to sit on the free space not currently occupied by booted feet, his words earning a faint chuckle from his audience of whom remained perfectly at ease where he was. 

Nelles. One of the many things that had changed - well, perhaps what was most different about his life now involved Nelles. What they were, what they felt. For Praxitus it had been the same for as long as he could remember… or, maybe, what he chose to remember, that was, but between them there were things there that had not been before, sexual desire and lust factored in respectively. When he gazed upon Nelles with affection he saw it reflected back at him in grey eyes - there was a trust he had imbedded between them that was mutual, though not perfect. They were not perfect, but with him, Praxitus was happy. That was different, too. Happiness. Contentedness. Acceptance for all things as they were. With Nelles had come peace. Sometimes.  
“You figured correctly.” Praxitus replied jokingly, as he looked once more at his book. Looking at the burn on Nelles’ face was hard still, he carried remorse closer to his heart than his arteries, and it pumped through his blood vessels faster than the liquid that pioneered his body. Metaphysical, yes, a psychosomatic wound, but for some reason he could never bring himself to justify his actions that day - the blind rage, and perhaps if he never was able to, he would never forget. Part of him could never fully love Nelles the way he desired to, and that was because he could never forgive himself for what he had done to him. Nelles was much better off without him, this he knew as gospel, but he was selfish in clinging to what he could get from him, no matter how much or little that may be. It did nothing to ease his worries.

Perhaps his face fell, for Nelles took it upon himself to continue the conversation. “What are you reading about today?” So light-hearted, how could he manage it? Praxitus chuckled once more, heartfelt, and gave the man he considered to be his lover a shrug in response.

Not taking such a noncommittal reaction for discussion, Nelles erected himself from his seat and marched around to stand at Praxitus’ shoulder, peering at the contents of the tome in his lap. “Metaphysical foresight?” Came his parroted question.

“Yes, it’s…” Distraction, he was drawn in by the proximity of the air mage, the curve of his throat, the way his lips had grown plush and discarded their chapped texture in the wake of the oncoming spring weather, the smell of the scent glands that were mere inches from his turned head. “...it’s ah… well, it’s hard to explain. The philosophical interpretation of the science of the mind and thoughts. Or, rather, that’s how it is described here. It had other meanings as well.” 

When Nelles just stared at him, he thought he’d said something that made no sense. Perhaps he had, but in that space of time, it mattered not. The look upon him wasn’t that of confusion or distaste, it was like Nelles was observing something beautiful such as a sunset. That was confusing for Praxitus, he couldn’t understand what Nelles was thinking, but his eyes were drawn to Nelles’ lips once again. The last time he had put his mouth there, Nelles had pushed him away and the rest of the evening… well, it had turned out interesting. Neither good nor bad were acceptable ways of describing it, and he regretted that, too.

But he didn’t have to linger on it for too long, since Nelles took the initiative to kiss him this time. Time seemed to slow. It was gentle, warm, slow, a tender press of unsure lips. Grotesquely brief and leaving him wanting more, oh so much more. Nelles was lingering for just a moment longer than necessary before he leaned back - but only by a fraction, his breath mixing still with Praxitus’. Praxitus brought his hand to Nelles’ cheek, keeping him close because he could not stand to lose him, resting over the burn that he had so carelessly implanted upon the only person he loved so truly. 

“That was much better.” Nelles remarked. What a smart ass, it made him smile.

“You’re only saying that because you did it.”

That got him a chuckle and much to his gratuitous surprise, another quick kiss. “Come with me to dinner. The rest are waiting for you. We have seen neither hide nor tail of you since class this morning.”

Praxitus groaned at that. Yes, he had made himself scarce. Purposefully. Making an appearance in a full dining hall and to the eyes of the group, no less? Nelles would have to struggle to proclaim something that was less interesting to him. “Alright, but only because you did that just now.”

“Oh, newfound power! I’ll try not to let it get to my head.” Nelles teased as the fire mage sat up, rolled his eyes at the comment, and stretched his arms above his head, cracking his back and his shoulders. The old tome found a place on the desk when Praxitus had lowered his hands and set it there; undoubtedly he wanted to come back to continue reading up on the science of understanding, but nevertheless, his stomach did rumble as if in encouragement of eating. Nelles responded by patting his belly, which of course earned a grunt from the subject.

“Alright, let’s get going, then.”

“After you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Want to learn more about the universe where these characters are from? Check out the Discord server - to join, just shoot me a message @ cowboycruncher#7497.


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